1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for spreading a liquid slurry, and more particularly, to spreading fertilizer in a field.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is quite common for farmers to collect animal manure in a lagoon next to a barn in which animals are kept, and to recycle the manure as fertilizer far vegetable growing fields, such as in corn fields or the like. Presently, the manure is pumped from the lagoon as a slurry (using a pumping device as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,006, issued Jun. 10, 1986, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 434,909, filed Nov. 9, 1989 in the name of the applicant), into a tank mounted on a vehicle, and the vehicle, either self propelled or a trailer drawn by a farm tractor, is passed through a corn field spreading the slurry on the soil surface. In some cases, particularly if the stalks of corn have sprouted above the ground surface, in rows, coinciding with the planting furrows, care is taken to ensure that the vehicle wheels pass in paths between the furrows, and the delivery of the manure slurry is directed by nozzles onto the paths between the furrows.
In these cases, the manure is spread on the surface and thus the fertilization is dependent on the amount of slurry which seeps or leaches into the earth, assuming it does not get washed away by rain water or drained because of the slope of the land.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for spreading a slurry of fertilizer in a growing field.
It is a further aim of the present invention to introduce the slurry of fertilizer mechanically below the soil surface, preferably at root level.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an improved suspension system for a vehicle.
It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide an improved method of growing corn and like vegetables.
An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a vehicle having a chassis with a front end and a rear end, a slurry holding tank on the chassis between the front end and rear end a slurry distributing assembly mounted on the chassis at the rear end thereof, and means for moving the assembly between a storage position wherein the slurry distributing assembly is inoperative and an application position wherein the slurry distributing assembly is operative. The slurry distributing assembly includes a frame mounted to the chassis and at least a slurry distributing unit having a plow beam mounted on the frame and having an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle; a plurality of plow means mounted on the beam and one of the plow means is a colter tooth with the other plow means spaced apart rearwardly thereof on the beam; a slurry nozzle mounted to the beam and interspaced with the plow means, behind the colter tooth, with the nozzle facing downwardly towards the soil when the frame is in the application position; conduit means communicating the holding tank and the nozzle means, and pump means delivering the slurry to the nozzle from the tank whereby the soil may be furrowed by at least the colter tooth when the assembly is in an application position and slurry can be delivered into the so-formed furrow.
In a more specific embodiment, the frame includes a sub-frame rotatable about a hinge axis extending laterally of the rear end of the chassis, and an actuation means for rotating the sub-frame about the hinge axis between the application position and the storage position. The slurry distributing assembly is mounted on the sub-frame.
More specifically, the hinge axis is included in a shaft, and the sub-frame further includes a bracket extending radially from the shaft and downwardly when in the application position, and an arm extends radially, rearwardly of the shaft, at an acute angle and within the same plane as the bracket. The beam is pivotally connected to the free end of the arm remote from the shaft, and the beam is associated with the bracket far limited pivoting movement relative to the arm. A wheel is provided at the front end of the beam adapted to contact the soil to support the beam when the slurry distributing assembly is in the application position.
In another embodiment, the sub-frame may include a first bracket mounted for rotation on the shaft and a second bracket mounted on the plow beam and a parallelogram linkage between the first and second brackets such that the plow beam and the second bracket can move vertically relative to the first bracket.
In a more specific embodiment, there are several sub-frames mounting independent slurry distribution units mounted on the shaft in laterally, spaced-apart relation with the spacing approximating the distance between paths.
In a method in accordance with the present invention, there are provided the steps of seeding a field with vegetable seeds and placing the seeds in longitudinal, spaced-apart rows forming paths therebetween, allowing the seeds to sprout their stalks through the top surface of the soil, forming temporary furrows in the paths and immediately injecting a fertilizing slurry in the temporary furrows at root level and closing the furrows. More specifically, the fertilizer is a manure slurry
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a suspension system for a vehicle wherein the vehicle is a trailer and mounts a manure slurry tank on a chassis, the chassis including a hitch pole at the front end thereof and a manure slurry distribution assembly at the rear end of the chassis, at least three sets of wheels in tandem mounted to the chassis by having a first axle extending laterally of the chassis and a first beam pivotally mounted about the axis of the axle on either side of the chassis, each first beam mounting wheel means at the rear free end thereof and mounting a second wheel mounting beam at the front free end thereof, each second beam mounting a wheel at each front and rear ends thereof.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a trailer including a chassis including a hitch pole extending longitudinally at the front thereof and an articulated hitch pole extension at the front end of the hitch pole and adapted to be connected to a motive vehicle, at least three sets of wheels mounted to the chassis with the rear set of wheels being articulated about respective vertical axes, an action-reaction communication means between the hitch pole and the hitch pole extension communicating with actuation means on the chassis for providing opposite articulation of the rear set of wheels such that the trailer will follow an arc traced by the motive vehicle to which the hitch pole extension is connected.